Ship erector vs journeyman

The differences between ship erectors and journeymen can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both a ship erector and a journeyman. Additionally, a journeyman has an average salary of $57,682, which is higher than the $43,889 average annual salary of a ship erector.

The top three skills for a ship erector include scaffolding, OSHA and safety rules. The most important skills for a journeyman are hand tools, work ethic, and HVAC.

Ship erector vs journeyman overview

	Ship Erector	Journeyman
Yearly salary	$43,889	$57,682
Hourly rate	$21.10	$27.73
Growth rate	2%	2%
Number of jobs	6,795	13,953
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 46%	Associate Degree, 31%
Average age	42	42
Years of experience	4	4

Ship erector vs journeyman salary

Ship erectors and journeymen have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Ship Erector	Journeyman
Average salary	$43,889	$57,682
Salary range	Between $26,000 And $72,000	Between $39,000 And $83,000
Highest paying City	-	San Francisco, CA
Highest paying state	-	Washington
Best paying company	-	CVR Energy
Best paying industry	-	Construction

Differences between ship erector and journeyman education

There are a few differences between a ship erector and a journeyman in terms of educational background:

	Ship Erector	Journeyman
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 46%	Associate Degree, 31%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	-	-

Ship erector vs journeyman demographics

Here are the differences between ship erectors' and journeymen' demographics:

	Ship Erector	Journeyman
Average age	42	42
Gender ratio	Male, 94.4% Female, 5.6%	Male, 87.2% Female, 12.8%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 7.6% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 23.1% Asian, 1.6% White, 61.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.2%	Black or African American, 7.3% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 23.2% Asian, 1.6% White, 62.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.1%
LGBT Percentage	2%	2%

Differences between ship erector and journeyman duties and responsibilities

Ship erector example responsibilities.

Perform duties as a structural welder using SMAW, and FCAW.
Work with crew members to force steel parts into final position with turnbuckles, crowbars, jacks, etc.
Install various aluminum structures and foundations.
Identify and request any and all PPE necessary to performtasks.calculate accurate material estimates.
Operate lull and crane lifts.
Install various aluminum structures and foundations.

Journeyman example responsibilities.

Manage 22 active duty hydraulic technicians in support of 32 of USAF's 59 KC-10A aircraft.
Serve as the hoisting specialist for critical glass lifts in order to achieve proper install while mitigating any risk for loss.
Implement and manage training program for incoming and/or replacement facility managers enhancing overall knowledge of CE maintenance and repair operations.
Install EMT to rigid including PVC.
Perform arc welding of steel clips for curtain wall installation.
Repair the electrical systems of various engineering equipment utilizing soldering irons, resistors, relays, switches, and hand tools.

Ship erector vs journeyman skills

Common ship erector skills

Scaffolding, 34%
OSHA, 19%
Safety Rules, 13%
Construction Sites, 5%
Blueprint Specifications, 3%
Fall Protection, 3%

Common journeyman skills

Hand Tools, 21%
Work Ethic, 13%
HVAC, 12%
Safety Procedures, 6%
Plumbing, 5%
OSHA, 5%

Updated January 8, 2025

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